Should I be concerned? ETA : Day five- JACKPOT!!! Pics added

[ninabeast]

I have six laying out of ten. One of the non-layers has been going into the nest box to sit on other girls' eggs! I'm expecting from her soon. My biggest problem is that one of my layers INSISTS on laying from atop the roost and it's getting messy. More importantly, I'm terrified I'll get egg eaters...

See? There's more to fret over once they start laying, but I have to say, finding eggs in the nesting box is AWESOME. Hang in there. You're very close.

 

[remuda1]

Ya know, the cuckoo marans hens were much more cooperative for me! HAha

they went to the nest boxes for a day or two and practiced, then got right down to business without all of this drama! The BCM hens must know how impatient I am

. That little toot, I should show her what happened to the mean Cuckoo Marans rooster,

LOL, maybe that would shock an egg out of her. I'm going to keep "journaling" her progress so ya'll will be the first to know

. Keep your fingers (and toes) crossed for me.

 

[remuda1]

No egglaying behavior yesterday. Today face and wattles so red I thought they may spontaneously combust

. Panting and sitting in the nest box. Placing blades of hay on her back.... Sat for about an hour. Jumped down and began egg song. No egg in nest.

Stay tuned to see if this stubborn little hen EVER lays an egg

 

[LT]

Quote:
My Cuckoo Maran did the same thing. The first time she did that was on a Sunday when I was home. I was so excited. I saw her sitting in the nest box and everything. No egg. The next day, neither my husband nor I were at home to observe any behavior, but when my husband checked the nest boxes that afternoon we only had one egg, when we were expecting two. He opened the hen house to make sure they had food and water and when he did, he heard something rolling across the floor. Yep, she had laid on the hen house floor. The next day, I was at home all morning, so I watched her. She sat in the nest box for over an hour, and then she came out squawking and cackling making the biggest production you have ever heard. I went to the nest box, no egg. I opened the hen house door, no egg. I went to the end of the run to let them out to free range, and there was the egg, by the water bowl. The third day she got it right! And every day since, her eggs have been perfect and in the nest box where they belong.

 

[remuda1]

Soooooo, it's definitely NOT chocolate brown. Breeder told me to expect 7s or 8s on the color scale. I would've been happier with a couple of shades darker just so I could differentiate between the cuckoos and BCMs, BUT having said that I'm just tickled that the little toot is finally laying. Nice sized and well formed for her first shot

. Course, she's been practicing for long enough! Here it is

 

[lollimama]

Congrats!! Just curious, do you have a photo of her? I have a blue splash marans who is 21 weeks old. Her comb and waddles get bigger and redder every day but shes still probably a couple of weeks out. Ugh - the wait!! It's fun to come on here and hear from others though, make the waiting a little more tolerable when I know other people are in it too! I loved your little story

 

[remuda1]

Thank you lolli, funny but the other two BCMs that I have are still pretty dark faced and I just went out there again and found this!!!! I had left the other two on nest boxes when I came back in.

Haha!! I think she's started a trend as the third and final BCM is still out there in a nest as we speak. This egg is a bit darker than the other one so maybe we're headed in the right direction. Let me see if I have a picture of these girls.... I didn't but went out and took this one. Third one has the darkest face but she's still on the nest. I can't believe I may get first eggs from all three on the same day

.

The one in front is the one that's had me going for the last week and a half. Stay tuned for further developments!!

 

[remuda1]

Simply amazing.... These little rascals! Third and final BCM lays her first egg on the same day the other two lay theirs. I think they were having me on!!!

And here she is. Face still fairly dark.

 

[GrannysRoost]

Congrats! The suspense is somewhat like hatching

 

[lollimama]

Woohoo!!! that is just a beautiful egg - with those speckles!!! Lovely! Well, it looks to me like we have a ways to go here - my little lady's comb is much smaller still and her waddles are not dangly (know what i mean??). People keep saying they just sprout that comb overnight...still waiting here for that to happen. What a great day for you - it will go down in chicken history at your house I'm sure!